Saturday, July 14, 2012

Backyard Science Camp!

This week, I spent four afternoons at my good friends’ house, where 10 kids attended an action packed backyard science camp! We learned about everything from chemical reactions, to electricity, to physics! Mommy even came on 2 of the afternoons and took pictures! I had so much fun, and learned A LOT (although I can’t ACTUALLY answer any questions about what I learned when I am asked…)! It was a hot week outside, all my friends were together, and it was just a good time! Maybe someday I can teach you what I’ve learned!

-Abby

Agenda for Day 2: Electricity!

We tried some experiments with batteries & wires, and even got a light bulb to light up!

We practiced being “electrons” and walked around the backyard, making our pretend light bulb light up with the help of our pretend battery! Imaginations are a wonderful thing!

After doing a few experiments we got to write and draw in our science journals!

After snack time, we learned all about static electricity, and even got to build circuits- just like I do with my dad!

We even got to build our own batteries… out of LEMONS!!!!

I thought it was hilarious!

My favorite part of the day was exploring the backyard with our magnifying glasses! There are so many cool things in nature!

Miss Jess was a great assistant, and helped us make wonderful journal entries!

Day 4 agenda: Physics!

We blew up balloons, let them go, and watched as gravity brought them back to us!

We loved checking out the frictionless cars, and how the moved!

We had art time today and got to make our very own mini rockets!

We launched cool little nerf rockets with the air from balloon pumps!

Back to some backyard journal time!

We had a GREAT teacher! She helped us launch our own rockets with Alka Seltzer and water!

We thought it was the coolest thing ever!

To launch your homemade rocket, first you need to add a little bit of water…

The you drop in the Alka Seltzer, put it on the ground, and RUN!

Look how high my rocket went!

He made all kinds of hypotheses about how to make our rockets launch faster and higher!

At the very end of our last day, we set off a Coke rocket, with mentos, and it was the coolest, messiest looking rocket we’d ever seen!

Our teacher’s cord pulled a little bit early, and she almost didn’t make it out of the way in time! It went so high, and there was coke EVERYWHERE!

What a great week at science camp! I hope I can do this again sometime!